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West Highland White Terrier

The West Highland White Terrier was standardized from the white Cairn Terrier stock of the Poltalloch estate in Scotland, with the breed club established in 1905.

Calculate West Highland White Terrier age
Lifespan13.4 yrrange 13–14
SizeSmallTerrier Group
Weight15–20 lb6.8–9.1 kg
Senior at8 yrgeriatric at 12

Gallery (3)

About

About the West Highland White Terrier

The West Highland White Terrier was standardized from the white Cairn Terrier stock of the Poltalloch estate in Scotland, with the breed club established in 1905. The solid-white coat was selected for visibility during fox and otter work on rocky Highland terrain.

Aging

How West Highland White Terriers age

RVC VetCompass gives a median 13.4 years (n=18,662). Westie lung disease (idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis) is the defining respiratory concern after age 8; atopic dermatitis and craniomandibular osteopathy are secondary.

Lifespan deep-divePublished breed median: 13.4 yrSenior careSenior at 8 · geriatric at 12Common health issues4 tracked conditions
Physical

Physical characteristics

Weight
15–20 lb(6.8–9.1 kg)
Height
10–11 in(25.4–27.9 cm)
Coat type
Wire
Colors
White
Temperament

Temperament

How West Highland White Terriers tend to show up around their people, other dogs, and the world.

loyalhappyentertainingspirited
  • Energy
  • Trainability
  • Good with kids
  • Good with other dogs
  • Shedding
Health

Common health issues

Full health profile
  • Moderatetypical onset ~7 yr

    Cataracts

    Description and veterinary guidance for Cataracts land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Low prevalencetypical onset ~2 yr

    Patellar Luxation

    Description and veterinary guidance for Patellar Luxation land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Low prevalencetypical onset ~1 yr

    Congenital Cardiac Defect

    Description and veterinary guidance for Congenital Cardiac Defect land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

Exercise
60min
per day

About 60 minutes of activity per day keeps a West Highland White Terrier physically and mentally satisfied. Split it between a structured walk and free play.

Related

Related breeds

Breeds with a similar size and group profile, for readers comparing options.

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References

Sources

Lifespan and health figures on this page are drawn from the peer-reviewed and organizational sources below.

  1. AKC breed standardAmerican Kennel Club breed page

    Breed size, weight range, height, AKC group, origin, coat type, and temperament baseline.

  2. McMillan et al. 2024Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death

    Multi-source UK companion-dog study. See the lifespan page for the matched statistic and its limitations.